Netanyahu Orders Hebron Cordon and West Bank Sweep After Two Soldiers Killed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a major military operation in the West Bank on Friday, instructing troops to cordon off the city of Hebron. The directive came after two Palestinian men opened fire at a junction near the city, killing two Israeli soldiers. The army confirmed that forces killed the gunmen at the scene.

The military identified the fallen soldiers as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. Three other soldiers sustained minor injuries in the exchange of fire. Investigators found a large quantity of weapons and ammunition inside the attackers' vehicle, suggesting they had planned a larger strike on civilians. The shooters used an M16 rifle and a handgun, according to army statements.

Netanyahu said residents of the Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen lived would be evacuated before a house-to-house search for weapons began. He stated that the first step would be to demolish the specific site and completely transform it. Hebron is home to more than 200,000 people. The Prime Minister outlined a wider campaign, noting that the Israel Defense Forces would enter the neighborhoods from which the terrorists emerged and dismantle the terror infrastructure. He described the upcoming actions as an extensive operation in Judea and Samaria.

The military reported that offensive counterterrorism operations have already begun in the Hebron area. Soldiers are currently operating inside the homes of the attackers and other suspects. Over the past week, the army arrested approximately 70 wanted Palestinians in various West Bank operations.

Hamas, which Israel and the United States have designated a terrorist group, called the attack heroic. The group described the shooting as a legitimate response to ongoing crimes against its people, land, and holy sites. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the specific incident but urged armed Palestinians in the West Bank to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians. Netanyahu labeled the gunmen as Hamas terrorists.

The escalation occurs days before Israel holds general elections on Tuesday. Netanyahu has made national security a central theme of his campaign for another term. He characterized the shooting as an attempt to influence the vote, referencing a warning he issued weeks earlier about enemies preparing attacks to sway the election. His Likud party stated that Netanyahu convened senior security chiefs on Friday and canceled all campaign events for the remainder of the day. The attack follows a recent surge in violence in the West Bank and occurred after New York Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander was briefly detained by Israeli forces while assisting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest.